LATEST EUROPEAN NEWS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume V, Issue 237, 7 February 1855, Page 6

LATEST EUROPEAN NEWS.

THE LAND ATTACK. Camp before Sevastopol, Oct. 17,1854. On the night of the 16th it was determined that our fire should be opened on the Russian lines the following morning, as it was evident that the enemy was entrenching himself with much activity, and greatly strengthening his position. In spite of the efforts of our{ engineers, our works were not quite completed, ami most of the mortars could not be mounted in the batteries. Firing commenced, however, from the French and English batteries by signal at 6.30 a.m., on the 17th, but for 30 minutes previous the Russians tired furiously on all the batteries. The cannonade on both sides was most violent for nearly two hours. Our left attack consisted of four batteries and 36 guns; our right attack, of 20 guns, in battery. There were also two Lancaster batteries and a4-gun battery of 68-pounders on our right. The French had about 46 guns. In all we were supposed to have 117 guns to subdue about 130 guns of the Russians! At 8 o'clock it was apparent that the French batteries in their extreme right attack, overpowered by the fire and enfiladed by the guns of the Russians, was very much weakened ; their fire slackened minute after minute. At 8.30 the fire slackened on both sides for a few minutes, but recommenced with immense energy, the whole town and the line of works enveloped in smoke. At 8.40 the French magazine in the extreme right battery of 12 guns blew up with a tremendous explosion, killing and wounding 100 men. The Russians cheered, fired with renewed vigour, and crushed the French fire completely, so that they were not able to fire more than a gun now and then at intervals/and at]lo o'clock they were nearly silenced on that side. At 10.40 rthe fire slackened from both sides, but the allies and Russians re-opened vigorously at 10.45. Our practice was splendid, but our works were cut up with fire from the redan, and from the works round a circular martello tower on our extreme right. At 12-45 the French lineof-battle ships ran up in most magnificent style and engaged the batteries on the sea side. The scene was indecribable, the Russians replying vigorously toithe attacks by sea and land, though suffering greatly. At 1-25 another magazine in the French batteries blew up. The cannonade was tremendous. Our guns demolished the Round Tower, but could not silence the works around it. At l'4O a great explosion took place in the centre ef Sebastopol, amid much cheering from our men, but the fire was not abated. The Lancaster guns made bad practice, and one burst. At 2-55 a terrific explosion of a powder magazine took place in the Russian redan fo.-t. The Russians, however, returned to their guns, and still fired from the re-entering angle of their work?. The cannonade was continuous from the ships and from our batteries, but the smoke did not permit us to see if the British fleet was engaged. At 3-30 a loose powder store inside our naval battery was blown up by a Russian shell, but did no damage. The enemy's earthworks were much injured by our fire, and the redan nearly silenced, and the fire of the round tower entrenchments diminished, though the inner works were still vigorous. At 3-35 the magazine inside the works of the round lost was blown up by our shot. At 4 the ships outside were ripping up the forts and stone-works and town by tremendous broadsides. Only the French flag was visible, the English fleet being on the opposite side of the harbour. Orders were given to spare the to'-vu and buiJdi»«s as much as possible. From 4 to ;3.30 the cannonade from our batteries was very warm, the Russians replying though our fire had evidently established its superiority over theirs, the ships p«niriin? in broadside alter broadside on Forts "Nicholas and Constantiue at close ranges. Towards dusk the fire slackened jfreaiiv, and-at night it ceased alto-' getbor, the -^Russians, for the first time, heinosilent. Up to this hour. (10 p.m.) they have barely fiml a gun. They are busy repairing damages, and we are doing the same, and are also mounting new guns and mortars'for tomorrow. | Tire Fiend! have lost about 200 men, princi- | pally oy t'ue explosions ; our loss is very sm-ill . I under 100 killed and'wounded since the sie»-e i began. ■' " I Captain Rowley, of the Guards, was lulled

yesterday. O'Leary, of the 68th regiii^H killed to-day; Rnthven, Lieutenant, lijjM wounded. H We have gained greatly on the works 10-dafl and, but for the melancholy disasters whj'd befel our allies, should liiive crushed mud^M the Russian batteries. The French fleet aveii*^B these misfortunes most amply. ' '{«■ The Grand Duke Couslautine is supposed fl have entered Sebastopol. Much of the sea side of the town is in ruiufl We re-open'fire at daybreak. H October 18, 3 p.m. I The lire was resumed this morning soon nftefl daybreak. The French were still unable to sujfl port us. Their (extreme left is still silencefl Tliey will not be ready till the 19th or 20th, si damaged are they by the Russian lire. ' H During the night the Russians retnountel their guns, and brought up fresh ones, S \m\ csfl tablished a great superiority of fire and weigh! of metal. . VJ At 10 a.m. the alarm was given that the ftusl sians were marching to attack our rear on il! Balaklava road. Lord Raglan and staff, wit! large bodies of French troops, at once move! there, and found the Russian cavalry and tw! battalions of infantry, with one gun, endeavnui ing to creep up in a fog to the outposts. Th Turks opened a fire from the redoubts, and th Russians retired. At this very moment (3 p.m.) the Russian are pressing us very hard, returning three shot for our two. Colonel Hood, of the Guards was killed in the trenches to-day. , Ruthven of the Albion, is better. Lieutenant Chase, o the Albion, is killed. Another Lieutenant am 700 men were killed and wounded in our flee yesterday while attacking Fort Constantine. The attack by the fleets is to be renewei to-morrow. Of the siege train there are two killedl,; severely wounded, and eight slightly wounded This was up to yesterday. Our loss up to-day is 96. The redan, and flag-staff fort are as trouble some as ever.J The Retribution and London had their main masts shot away, and were on fire yesterday They had to be hauled off. The Agamemnon has suffered severely. Lord J. Murray and Ellison, with 150 met of the BSl.li, 130 artillerymen, and six surgeons arrived last night per Toning. The sickness has much abated. The redan fort, flagstaff fort, and Rouiw Tower Works are firing very warmly just now We can scarcely get up ammunition to our guns. . . 1 THE SEA ATTACK. I Off the Katcha, Crimea, Oct. 18, 1854 Yesterday morning about daybreak, the English and French opened fire from their batteries on the south side of Sebastopol. Late on the preceding night it had ; been agreed by the combined admirals and generals that the fleets should on the same day make a grand attack on the forts at the mouth of the harbour. During the night, topgallant masts were lowered, spare spars and boats handed over to Her Majesty's ship Vulcan, and early in the morning steam was up. The paddle wheel and screw "frigates lashed themselves alongside the sailing line of battleships, and all was got ready for the fight. The French were to occupy ; ; the right as you enter the harbour—that is,"the southern side, and the English the left, or northern side, in one line—about 1500 yards off. The French first got into their places* about half past twelve o'clock, and immediately commenced a heavy fire, which was vigorously returned from the batteries. The distance, however, was certainly greater than originally contemplated, and, as far as I can ascertain, it was over 200 yards. By degrees the English ships successively took up their stations, passing in rear of the French, and anchoring to the left. The Agamemnon,' Sanspareil, and London (lashed to the Niger), however, took an inside 1 station advance—perhaps 1000 yards from Fort 1 Constantine. Nothing could "be more noble 1 than the gallant way in which the Agamemnon and Sanspareil steamed in amid a perfect ha'U of cannon balls and snells, preceded by a little' tug steame.i, the Circassia, commanded by Mr-; Ball. This little -bit of a cockle-shell, which looked as if she might have been arrested by fowling-piece, deliberately felt the way for the large ships till !her services were no longer required. (Continued in our next.) '.